Making the case for the right to life of every innocent, from Lake County, Illinois

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Down Syndrome

Parliamentary rally held against new Down syndrome test

The protestors called on Jeremy Hunt not to “screen them out”

Individuals with Down syndrome and their families have held a rally
outside Parliament today to protest against a discriminatory new
pre-natal screening proposal.

The new screening technique, which has yet to be introduced, is
expected to lead to a marked increase in the number of children with
Down syndrome aborted because of their condition.
The rally was organised by the Don’t Screen Us Out campaign.

Currently 92% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome before birth are
aborted, and the 1967 Abortion Act allows for abortion up to birth in
the case of disability in England, Scotland and Wales.“Don’t screen us out”
The protesters gathered outside the Houses of Parliament between
10:30 and 12:30, asking Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, not to
“screen them out”. They also called on the Government to increase
support for people with Down syndrome and their families, and to ensure
the provision of balanced information for parents with a pregnancy
diagnosis of Down syndrome.
The rally included speeches from people with Down syndrome, parents
and leaders from key Down syndrome advocacy groups. Sally Phillips, who
starred in the Bridget Jones’s Diaries films as well as the hit TV show
Miranda, and who has a son with Down syndrome, addressed the crowd via a
live audio cross from Pinewood Film Studios.
The new technique, called ‘cell-free DNA’ testing, is being heralded
as a move to reduce the number of miscarriages associated with
amniocentesis, with a National Screening Committee pilot study
predicting that it would result in 25 fewer miscarriages per year.92 more abortions per year
Yet proponents of the test have glossed over the fact that the same
pilot study predicts that the new screening will detect 102 more babies
with Down syndrome every year. As more than 90% of unborn children
diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb are aborted following a
diagnosis, this is likely to mean an increase of 92 abortions for Down
syndrome annually.
That would mean an overall decline of Down syndrome live births by
13% and would lead to a corresponding reduction in the number of people
with the condition in the UK. Such an outcome is likely to have a
profoundly negative impact on the community of people with Down
syndrome.
A recent report from the International Bioethics Committee of the
United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
has issued a stern warning about the drive to adopt Non-Invasive
Pregnancy Testing (NIPT) in national screening programmes. The proposal
also violates the UK’s treaty obligations under the UN Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) to make sure that its health
policies – including antenatal screening – are informed by and
reflective of a ‘social model’ understanding of disability.‘Support parents and families instead’
Lynn Murray, UK lead for Saving Downs and spokeswoman for the Don’t Screen Us Out campaign said

“We call on Jeremy Hunt to delay
the implementation of these new tests till medical reforms are effected
to remove the negative effects it would have on the community of people
with Down syndrome. As a parent of a teenage daughter with Down
syndrome, I’ve had 16 years of seeing the effects of screening on the
lives of people with Down syndrome and their families.

“These new tests will make this
situation worse, not better. The UK government should be putting its
energy behind providing real support for our families and other parents
who are expecting a child with Down syndrome.”

“Normalised discrimination”
Christine Elliot, spokeswoman for the Down Syndrome Research Foundation, also commented:

“We face the biggest challenge
for the existence of anyone who will ever be diagnosed with Down
syndrome. The promise of innovation in the new NIPT test are nothing of
the sort for unborn people with DS, it will be their certain demise in 9
out 10 pregnancies. Solely due to a diagnosis that is commonly
delivered in an outdated and fear mongering manner.

“We call upon all people to reject this normalised discrimination that has been accepted without thought or question.”

‘Provide support’
Sarah Hoss, spokeswoman for Future of Downs, added:

“It is important that families
are provided with support and up to date information about the condition
so that they feel empowered to make informed choices when it comes to
undergoing tests and not feel pressured into having terminations when a
trisomy is identified during pregnancy.”

She went on to say:

“Many parents feel that the focus
on testing and terminations makes life more difficult for them if their
new baby has a trisomy. Personally I believe that people with Down make
for a more diverse society and that people with DS require respect and
support to become more independent and live satisfying lives. The life
expectancy of people born now with DS is similar to the general
population. People with DS and their families need to be heard and
contribute to the decision making around tests and the government needs
to hear what we are saying.”

“No life is more precious than the other”

Maggie Hart, spokeswoman for The Education Centre for Children with Down’s Syndrome, said:

“No life is more precious than
the other. There is an assumption that Down syndrome could be eradicated
– a scary thought to think where this will end.”